Applying artificial neural networks, symmetrical and asymmetrical approaches to measure the nexus of digital competences among European educators

Asghar M. Z., Barbera E., Iqbal J., AKPINAR E., Narimani A.

INFORMATION PROCESSING & MANAGEMENT, cilt.63, sa.4, 2026 (SCI-Expanded, SSCI, Scopus) identifier

  • Yayın Türü: Makale / Tam Makale
  • Cilt numarası: 63 Sayı: 4
  • Basım Tarihi: 2026
  • Doi Numarası: 10.1016/j.ipm.2026.104610
  • Dergi Adı: INFORMATION PROCESSING & MANAGEMENT
  • Derginin Tarandığı İndeksler: Science Citation Index Expanded (SCI-EXPANDED), Social Sciences Citation Index (SSCI), Scopus, ABI/INFORM, Communication Abstracts, Compendex, Education Abstracts, Information Science and Technology Abstracts, INSPEC, Library, Information Science & Technology Abstracts (LISTA), MLA - Modern Language Association Database, zbMATH
  • Anahtar Kelimeler: Digital competence, Technology-supported collaboration, Assessment, Artificial Neural Networks, PLS-SEM, fsQCA, Education
  • Dokuz Eylül Üniversitesi Adresli: Evet

Özet

This study explores the interrelationships among digital tool usage, digital content creation, technology-supported collaboration, and digital assessment practices among 250 in-service teachers from T & uuml;rkiye, Portugal, Romania, and Spain. Training participants completed structured and open-ended questions as part of a European-funded program delivered through a gamified Learning Management System designed to enhance collaboration. A comprehensive mixed-methods approach integrated Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modeling (PLS-SEM), Multi-Group Analysis (MGA), Artificial Neural Networks (ANN), and fuzzy-set Qualitative Comparative Analysis (fsQCA), providing complementary perspectives on the data-driven associations among digital competence dimensions. PLS-SEM results revealed significant positive correlations among digital tool usage, content creation, collaboration, and assessment. Digital collaboration (beta = 0.513) and content creation (beta = 0.202) were positively associated with digital assessment, with collaboration (beta = 0.370) showing a stronger associative pathway between tool usage and assessment than content creation (beta = 0.139). fsQCA identified that the concurrent presence of tool usage, content creation, and collaboration was linked to higher digital assessment outcomes (consistency = 0.847). ANN sensitivity analysis highlighted the relative importance of collaboration (1.02) compared with tool usage (0.53) and content creation (0.24) in revealing associations within digital assessment practices. These multi-method correlational findings underscore the central role of technology-supported collaboration in integrating digital competences and provide data-driven insights for educational policy and teacher professional development.